Kenmore 29133 Washing Machine Review

This top-loading washer is all business.

Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives.

The Kenmore 29133 (MSRP $1299 in gray or $1179 in white) is a Sears-exclusive top loader with sale prices that drop as low as $899. It features a roomy 5.3-cu.-ft. drum that can fit a whole family's laundry, and it cleaned well in our performance tests.

We're fans of the nifty gray metallic exterior. If you aren't, buy the otherwise-identical Kenmore 29132—and save about a hundred bucks in exchange for a white exterior. Under the hood, you'll find the same basic design as the Whirlpool Cabrio WTW8500DC but the Kenmore swaps Whirlpool's new control panel for a more traditional look.

If you're looking for an upscale top loader that's a real workhorse, the Kenmore 29133 isn't a bad option. But, for $50 more, you can get Samsung's innovative ActiveWash machine. In this price range, that would be our top pick.

Design & Usability

A dash of elegance

The 29133's gray exterior lends it an air of distinction in your laundry room—and on the sales floor. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find a top loader as intentionally styled as the 29133. Whirlpool's version of this machine asks users what they want to wash and how they want to wash it, and the Maytag Bravos variant has a very traditional user interface. The Kenmore, on the other hand, blends classic and contemporary.

Starting from the top, the control panel has a slight curve to it, which places the control knob a little closer to you, and gives the whole machine a modern look.

The 29133's lid has soft-close hinges, meaning it won't slam down on your fingers when you're retrieving your laundry. It's a nice touch that also makes it easier to use.

After you get that soft-close lid open, you'll find a shiny drum with a wash plate, which is easier on clothes and requires less water than a traditional pole agitator setup. Unlike other high efficiency (HE) top loaders, which occasionally have difficulty saturating a large load with water, this one uses a unique wash system that Kenmore claims does a better job wetting the top of the load.

The drum is deep—you'll need to reach 32-inches to grab that one sock that's stuck at the bottom of the washer. That's a stretch, but the trade-off is that 5.3-cu.-ft. drum. With so much capacity, you'll be able to handle a family of four's washing needs all at once.

Performance & Features

Expect the... expected

Credit: Reviewed.com / Jonathan Chan

The bubbles on the side of the stainless steel drum help clean your clothes without tearing them to shreds. View Larger

If you've owned a Whirlpool Cabrio or Maytag Bravos washing machine, you'll know what to expect. The 29133 is quite similar to the Whirlpool Cabrio WTW8500DC, and our lab tests on both machines returned nearly identical results.

On our stain removal tests, we determined the 29133 fares well against animal and plant proteins like blood and cocoa, but had the hardest time removing sweat and red wine stains. Cool temperatures might account for that: The hottest water this Kenmore used on its Normal cycle topped out around 101°F. Now, cold water washing isn't all bad, but you may need to compensate with extra detergent or a heavier cycle when washing, say, sweaty soccer uniforms.

Our tests concluded the Whites cycle removes stains best. It has a 3.5% edge over the Normal cycle, likely due to an extra 10 minutes and extra 3 gallons of hot water. Surprisingly, the Heavy Duty cycle ranked third in stain removal.

Despite the fact that it has a top spin speed of only 950 RPM—far lower than the 1400 RPM that some similarly priced machines offer—the 29133 had no problem spinning excess water out of loads.

An example of a before and after test stain results using the Normal cycle. From left to right: control, sweat, dirt, blood, cocoa, and red wine. View Larger

Most of the 29133's noteworthy extra features are ones that you'll never interact with. For example, Accela Soak allows the 29133 to draw water from the bottom of the drum. Detergent tends to sink, so by drawing water from the bottom of the drum and dumping it back on top of your clothes, you're getting the most of your detergent. We found that items we placed at both the bottom and top of the load were evenly cleaned, which shows the system does work.

Similar Products

Warranty

As with most Kenmore appliances, the 29133 washer has a one-year warranty. From date of purchase, you'll be covered for parts and labor on manufacturer defects. Like most home appliance warranties, it does not include repairs for wear-and-tear failures.

Why We Like It

A solid choice at Sears

If you're looking for a solid top-loading washer and think the latest Maytag is too spartan and the new lineup from Whirlpool is too high-tech, then it's worth checking out the Kenmore 29133. It comes with strong stain removal for its price point and the extra large, 5.3-cu.-ft. drum will serve most families well.

However, don't count out the Samsung WA52J8700AP. It sells for only $50 more than the Kenmore, but features the innovative ActiveWash system—which puts a sink on the top of your washing machine.

Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives.

Where To Buy

Kenmore 29133

Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives.

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Where To Buy

Kenmore 29133

Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives.

Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. Our picks and opinions are independent from any business incentives.